The Philosophers’ Stone

The philosophers’ stone or stone of the philosophers (Latin: lapis philosophorum) is a legendary alchemical substance said to be capable of turning base metals such as lead into gold (chrysopoeia) or silver. It was also sometimes believed to be an elixir of life, useful for rejuvenation and possibly for achieving immortality. For many centuries, it was the most sought-after goal in alchemy. The philosophers’ stone was the central symbol of the mystical terminology of alchemy, symbolizing perfection at its finest, enlightenment, and heavenly bliss. Efforts to discover the philosophers’ stone were known as the Magnum Opus (“Great Work”).

The alchemists of the Middle Ages believed that to achieve transmutation of metals such as lead, without much value in gold or silver had to add and combine fair amount of Mercury to achieve transmutation then considered a third principle , salt, identified with the strength and solubility.

These early alchemists replaced during the Age Media elements of Greek philosophy. an idea immediate was the possibility of getting the transmutation metals , by combining these three principles, but this transmutation could only be feasible foreknowledge of a catalyst in which stone was called Philosopher Stone.

According to some beliefs , there were two types of stones :

Red : that transforms the impure metals into gold.

White : transforming impure metals in silver.

One theory is that it gets the Philosopher’s Stone will be able to transform not only metals, but any object into gold ; however, will gradually also becoming gold. A third theory speaks of the philosopher’s stone as a metaphor for perfection , where the human would be the impure metal is slowly reaching perfection to become gold.

Although there were many theories about the true existence of the Philosopher’s Stone , is a fact that the great alchemists sought by all means the Philosopher’s Stone even tried to replicate it in their labs and hence arise countless alchemical treatises on the subject and talking about the three stages of the Magisterium , ie , the different stages to transmute an impure metal into gold , steps that take several years and can be very dangerous, as the alchemist during the magisterium uses hazardous materials , such as gunpowder .

The history of alchemy is basically the search for the philosopher’s stone . Moreover the alchemists confused with magicians and sorcerers , were persecution from the religious authorities.